“It’s true there were a lot of clubs interested in me — I had talks with some of the biggest clubs in Europe,” he told the Evening Standard. “But as soon as I heard from Arsenal, the decision was very simple and I’m very happy to be here.”

Guendouzi also revealed that a former Arsenal player helped talk him into the move, striker Jeremie Aliadiere.

“I did speak to Jeremie about Arsenal and he said it’s a place where I can progress and learn a great deal from the staff here. He always spoke very positively and that made me feel very confident in the choice that I’d made.

“It’s the club of my heart. There have been a lot of French players here and Thierry Henry is a symbol in France after his long career here. I used to watch Arsenal games with my father and it has a special place in my heart.”

It’s looking likely that Matteo Guendozi will turn out to be one of the signings of the summer for Arsenal. The French midfielder has shown flashes of brilliance and it’s interesting to see that he turned down a number of clubs in order to sign for the Gunners.